Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s contract situation at Liverpool remains unresolved, and his latest comments can be interpreted in a number of ways, so should fans be concerned?
The shadow hanging over the Reds’ first season under Arne Slot is the uncertain futures of three key pillars in Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
All are free to talk to foreign clubs in less than 100 days and even potentially sign a pre-contract agreement if new terms with Liverpool are not agreed by then.
It is extremely unlikely that their futures will be resolved by the end of the year, as all three have the right to cast judgement over Slot’s potential and wait for the terms that best suit them.
The situation is a no-brainer for the club, but Alexander-Arnold’s recent comments on the situation after the win over Bournemouth have been interpreted a myriad of ways – so, is there reason for concern?
The positives: Captaincy and Slot
“I want to be a Liverpool player this season [as a minimum] is what I will say,” Alexander-Arnold told reporters over the weekend on his future – an expected but not exactly committed response.
As Liverpool fans, we have been burned before when it comes to key players deciding their future is not at Anfield – and Alexander-Arnold doing the same would be soul-destroying.
The 25-year-old has been with Liverpool since the age of six, rising up the ranks to complete his trophy set and hold the title of vice-captain, those ties are not easily broken.
He has spoken previously about his desire to captain the club, and if we are looking for positivity within his recent comments, then the reiteration of this ambition is somewhat promising.
“I have always said I want to captain the club. That is a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands,” the No. 66 said.
“I have been at the club 20 years now. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public, and this one won’t be either.”
It is a classic case of subtly reminding supporters that he still sees a future at Anfield, all the while giving the higher-ups at the club a big nudge.
It is a tactic we have already seen from Van Dijk and Salah, though it can be said those two gave us a stronger indication that their intention and desire is to stay at the club.
Another element to all of this is Slot. After playing his entire senior career under Jurgen Klopp, a new head coach changes what he has always known, and speculation on their relationship has been rife.
After being disgruntled by an early substitution at the start of the season, too many sought to create stories about one not liking the other, but Alexander-Arnold put that quickly to bed.
“It is really refreshing to have a manager who will help and guide and teach me how to be better as a player,” he said of Slot.
“I am someone who wants to learn, someone who wants to be the best and someone who strives to be the best ever.
“We kind of talked about targets and aims, and I said to him that I would like to be the defender that no one wants to come up against in Europe.
“We agreed that he will be harsh on me. If any time an attacker gets by me and gets past me he will call it out in meetings and individual meetings and say this cannot happen.
“We go through every game together and he highlights where he wants me to improve.”
They are the words you want to hear from Alexander-Arnold, that he is seeking that next step and embracing the change – but while that is a positive, his words on ambition go above the Dutchman.
A message to match his ambitions
While I do not see any issue with the abovementioned comments when it comes to whether Alexander-Arnold will extend or not, his ambition statements had a different effect.
“The most important thing is always trophies if I am honest,” the Scouser said on what will prove persuasive when he makes a decision.
“I want to win trophies, I am a player who is highly motivated by trophies and winning things and being elite.
“So that is probably the main factor of anything, if you have a personality that is elite, who wants to win and will do anything to win then that is what drives me.”
From an early age, Alexander-Arnold has been fiercely competitive and he has big ambitions that Liverpool will need to show that they can help him live out.
The club cannot afford to stand still, and his love for the club will not blind him to whether success is still achievable at Anfield or if he has to find it elsewhere.
Of course, elsewhere is likely Real Madrid, who do not have to flex their trophy haul but can remind him that they have won 11 pieces of silverware since 2020 alone.
These comments more than the others may not be reassuring for the club, but maybe they are not meant to be; Alexander-Arnold is known to enjoy a game of chess, and that’s exactly what all this is.
He will constantly be assessing the situation, and may even lean on the likes of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, players who stayed at Anfield when success was not always forthcoming.
The 25-year-old, who already has 316 appearances for the club, is entitled to have Liverpool show their hand before he commits the prime years of his career to them – and you can only hope he will like what he sees.
Overall confidence
There is no doubt that the club have shown extreme negligence over the contract situation, and it is tiresome to think it will be the underlying story of the season until there is a resolution.
It is an issue that has been passed through one too many hands, but it is nonsensical that it has got to this point with Alexander-Arnold, who the Reds should be giving the keys to the kingdom.
Perhaps it may be naive, but the optimist in me does believe that Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold will reach an agreement for a new contract, but they’ll make us sweat over it!
He wants assurances that he can grow and continue to win trophies at the club, and if those ambitions do not align with the higher-ups then you could not fault him for wanting to leave.
What I take away from Alexander-Arnold’s comments is that he would be prepared to head for the exit, but that the club committing and showing they can match his ambitions will be more than enough to stay.
He’s not amplified reasons to be concerned, but Liverpool not taking his hints would be.
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